Ralph 'Sonny' Barger
Encyclopedia
Ralph Hubert "Sonny" Barger (born October 08, 1938 in Modesto, California
) is a founding member (1957) of the Oakland
, California
, U.S.
chapter of the Hells Angels
Motorcycle Club.
Sonny Barger is also the author of four books: Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club, Freedom: Credos from the Road, Dead in 5 Heartbeats, and 6 Chambers, 1 Bullet. He was editor for the book Ridin' High, Livin' Free. Barger was identified but didn't speak in Hells Angels on Wheels
and was one of several members of the Angels who had speaking parts playing themselves in Hell's Angels '69. He wrote a guide for motorcycle riders published in 2010.
' Altamont Free Concert in 1969. He is also a prominent figure in Hunter S. Thompson
's bestselling book, Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. Barger and the Hells Angels made international headlines when a small group disrupted hundreds of anti-war protestors in Berkeley, California in 1965.
Barger was listed in Tom Wolfe
's best seller The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
during Ken Kesey's La Honda encampment.
In 1983, Barger was diagnosed with throat cancer
, caused by years of heavy smoking. As a result, his vocal cords were removed, and after a laryngectomy
he has learned to vocalize using the muscles in his throat.
In 1988, Barger was sentenced for conspiring to blow up the clubhouse of a rival motorcycle club
, The Outlaws
in Louisville, Kentucky
, and spent four years in federal prison in Arizona.
As of 2007, Barger remains an active member of the Hells Angels in the Cave Creek
Chapter (Phoenix, Arizona
), having moved there from Oakland in 1998. He has owned 10 to 12 motorcycles throughout his life. In recent years Barger has worked to promote motorcycle safety, co-authoring a book on the subject with Darwin Holmstrom, the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles (Alpha: 1998). The book Let's Ride: Sonny Barger's Guide to Motorcycling was released by HarperCollins on June 8, 2010.
On November 30, 2010, Barger made a short guest appearance on the season 3 finale of the FX Television series Sons Of Anarchy
as Lenny "The Pimp" Janowitz, about a fictional Outlaw motorcycle club
, allegedly based on the Hells Angels. Show creator Kurt Sutter
spent time with Barger and other member's of Hells Angel's researching for the show, and acted opposite Barger in his scene. Barger has returned once again on the Sons Of Anarchy
as Lenny "The Pimp" Janowitz November 29, 2011 on the Season 4 finale part one.
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
) is a founding member (1957) of the Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chapter of the Hells Angels
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
Motorcycle Club.
Sonny Barger is also the author of four books: Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club, Freedom: Credos from the Road, Dead in 5 Heartbeats, and 6 Chambers, 1 Bullet. He was editor for the book Ridin' High, Livin' Free. Barger was identified but didn't speak in Hells Angels on Wheels
Hells Angels on Wheels
Hells Angels on Wheels is a 1967 American biker film directed by Richard Rush, and starring Jack Nicholson, Adam Roarke, and Sabrina Scharf...
and was one of several members of the Angels who had speaking parts playing themselves in Hell's Angels '69. He wrote a guide for motorcycle riders published in 2010.
Biography
Barger was one of the Hells Angels present at The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' Altamont Free Concert in 1969. He is also a prominent figure in Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 .He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to...
's bestselling book, Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. Barger and the Hells Angels made international headlines when a small group disrupted hundreds of anti-war protestors in Berkeley, California in 1965.
Barger was listed in Tom Wolfe
Tom Wolfe
Thomas Kennerly "Tom" Wolfe, Jr. is a best-selling American author and journalist. He is one of the founders of the New Journalism movement of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life and education:...
's best seller The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is a work of literary journalism by Tom Wolfe, published in 1968. Using techniques from the genre of hysterical realism and pioneering new journalism, the "nonfiction novel" tells the story of Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters...
during Ken Kesey's La Honda encampment.
In 1983, Barger was diagnosed with throat cancer
Head and neck cancer
Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...
, caused by years of heavy smoking. As a result, his vocal cords were removed, and after a laryngectomy
Laryngectomy
Laryngectomy is the removal of the larynx and separation of the airway from the mouth, nose and esophagus. The laryngectomee breathes through an opening in the neck, a stoma. This procedure is usually performed in cases of laryngeal cancer...
he has learned to vocalize using the muscles in his throat.
In 1988, Barger was sentenced for conspiring to blow up the clubhouse of a rival motorcycle club
Outlaw motorcycle club
An outlaw motorcycle club is a type of motorcycle club that is part of a subculture with roots in the post-World War II USA, centered on cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and choppers, and a set of ideals celebrating freedom, nonconformity to mainstream culture, and loyalty to the...
, The Outlaws
Outlaws Motorcycle Club
The Outlaws Motorcycle Club, incorporated as the American Outlaws Association or its acronym, A.O.A., is a one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate that was formed in McCook, Illinois in 1935....
in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, and spent four years in federal prison in Arizona.
As of 2007, Barger remains an active member of the Hells Angels in the Cave Creek
Cave Creek, Arizona
Cave Creek is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona in the United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town was 4,951.-Geography:...
Chapter (Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
), having moved there from Oakland in 1998. He has owned 10 to 12 motorcycles throughout his life. In recent years Barger has worked to promote motorcycle safety, co-authoring a book on the subject with Darwin Holmstrom, the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles (Alpha: 1998). The book Let's Ride: Sonny Barger's Guide to Motorcycling was released by HarperCollins on June 8, 2010.
On November 30, 2010, Barger made a short guest appearance on the season 3 finale of the FX Television series Sons Of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy is an American television drama series created by Kurt Sutter about the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming, a fictional town in Northern California...
as Lenny "The Pimp" Janowitz, about a fictional Outlaw motorcycle club
Outlaw motorcycle club
An outlaw motorcycle club is a type of motorcycle club that is part of a subculture with roots in the post-World War II USA, centered on cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and choppers, and a set of ideals celebrating freedom, nonconformity to mainstream culture, and loyalty to the...
, allegedly based on the Hells Angels. Show creator Kurt Sutter
Kurt Sutter
Kurt Sutter is an American screenwriter, director, producer and actor. He worked as a producer, writer and director on The Shield, also appearing on the show as hitman Margos Dezerian. Sutter is also the creator of Sons of Anarchy on FX and writes, produces, directs and performs for the series,...
spent time with Barger and other member's of Hells Angel's researching for the show, and acted opposite Barger in his scene. Barger has returned once again on the Sons Of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy is an American television drama series created by Kurt Sutter about the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming, a fictional town in Northern California...
as Lenny "The Pimp" Janowitz November 29, 2011 on the Season 4 finale part one.
Selected books
- Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club, William Morrow, 2001, ISBN 0060937548
- Ridin' High, Livin' Free: Hell-Raising Motorcycle Stories, William Morrow, 2003, ISBN 006000603X
- Freedom: Credos from the Road, William Morrow, 2005, ISBN 0060532564
- Let's Ride: Sonny Barger's Guide to Motorcycling, William Morrow, 2010, ISBN 0061964271